Forty per cent of the workforce has responsibilities for dependents – either children or elderly parents – and forward-thinking companies that take a holistic approach to employing their staff often get the best from them.
Here’s what last year’s winners had to say:
- Head of Diversity & Employee Engagement, KPMG said: "We know that talented parents and carers want to work for employers that have a demonstrable commitment to supporting them achieve a better work-life balance. As more and more employers recognise this, being identified as a Top Employer helps us stand out from the crowd."
- Assistant Director, Human Resources, Hertfordshire County Council: We have received a high level of interest in our [family-friendly working] practices from the press, other organisations and have spoken at many conferences so it has really raised the profile of the Council as a good employer and given HR and managers the recognition they deserve.
- Diversity Manager, B&Q said: Winning this award certainly raised our profile and has aided our ability to continue to recruit the best people to our business - regardless of their background.
- Managing Director, Happy said: Being a part of the Top Employers for working families list has been an important accolade for Happy. It helps us advertise to potential new staff how important our people are to us, and reminds those who already work for us that we are getting lots of things right for them.
If you think your organisation deserves recognition for its family-friendly working practices then you have got just over two weeks to meet the new deadline: 16 July 2010.
- In addition to the 15 categories awarded, each company and organisation will receive a report enabling them to make a comparison between themselves and an aggregated benchmark.
- All entries for Top Employers for Working Families will be judged anonymously, ensuring credibility and integrity.
- Uniquely, the Top Employers for working families list will be validated by independent human resource centre the Institute for Employment Studies.
- Winners will be recognised at a gala lunch and awards ceremony in London in October, with shortlists announced in September.
